"One of the things about the Android platform that appeals to many in the Linux community is the fact that it's based extensively on open source, Oracle lawsuits notwithstanding. The primary way to write applications for an Android-based phone is still Java. Google provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) with all the documentation, libraries and tools you need. There's even an add-on for the open-source Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to help you along.
"Google recently released a new and improved version of what was previously called the Android Scripting Edition (ASE) now renamed to Scripting Layer for Android (SL4A). This downloadable application for your phone opens up a whole new world of ways to program your Android using familiar languages like Python, Perl, Jruby and Lua. There's also support for BeanShell, JavaScript, Tcl and standard Linux shell commands. In this article we'll walk you through the process of installing the tools and the basics of scripting your phone."